Shootboxing and Pancrase are doing something new this June, and I’ll be the first one to say that it’s a completely awesome concept.

For the first time in 20 years, the Japanese promotional rivals will be invading each other’s cards in a series of stacked bouts for the ages.

Set to go down on the 23rd of this month, Shootboxing is bringing out their big guns to the party: 4 time World Shootboxing Champion and K-1 star Andy Souwer leads the way, along with Shootboxing welterweight champion, Hiroaki Suzuki, and the Shootboxing Japan lightweight champion Hiroki Shishido. These are without a doubt three of the best fighters from the SB organization. It would be difficult to pick a stronger roster.

The Pancrase line-up is a little bit stranger. Set to compete against the Shootboxing dream team are Kota Okazawa, Lin Genji, and Shunichi Shimizu, respectively. If you’ve never heard of these three individuals, join the club. The Pancrase representatives are all relatively young and inexperienced fighters compared to the absolute wolf-pack on Team Shootboxing.

Later in the week we’ll have an exclusive interview with Andy Souwer, so be sure to stick with FSA for all the coverage on Pancrase vs. Shootboxing, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for even more Asian combat sports updates.